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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Teacher not allow dd out of class for music lesson

15 replies

pigsinmud · 31/03/2014 17:49

Wasn't sure whether to put this here or in primary!
Today dd1 was meant to have her music lesson. Individual lesson with county arts service - £18 a lesson. She was in the middle of a test (yr5) and teacher wouldn't let her out to the lesson. £18 down the drain.

The other side of this is that dh is a musician/music teacher and in all his years of teaching a pupil has never been stopped from going to a lesson. Dh wants to ask the school to reimburse us £18 for the missed lesson. I am a wimp and just want to moan at them!

OP posts:
RaspberryLemonPavlova · 31/03/2014 18:42

I would certainly be contacting the school and asking about their policy for this. I'd want to be certain that DD hadn't been asked to re-arrange the lesson (I'm assuming it is a regular same time every week lesson), and then I would be asking for re-imbursement too.

My primary DCs have never been stopped from going for a lesson, secondary is a different story. I've paid for several lessons where DD hasn't forced the issue, but at least they are well subsidised by school and only cost £7. (She did get tough on Tuesday and left the class when told to wait before going, as it was her Grade 6 exam she was leaving for!)

Original poster
pigsinmud · 31/03/2014 18:58

She has a lesson every Monday. I've discovered it's happened to a few children today so I think we'll all be complaining. Not quite sure what was going through the teacher's mind. Perhaps she thought the lessons were free and it didn't matter.

OP posts:
intheenddotcom · 31/03/2014 19:35

I would think it would depend on school policy. Not letting them out in primary seems a bit excessive but in secondary we have the policy that if what is going on in class is more important they have to rearrange their music lesson. This is rarely used, unless the class is completing controlled assessment, and even then arrangements are usually made to catch up rather than rearranging the music lesson.

pixiepotter · 31/03/2014 20:55

What!!!
Either a school offers music lessons or it doesn't! It is not for the teachers to pick and choose whether the child can attend it or not!!

LCHammer · 31/03/2014 21:08

Why aren't the lessons outside of school hours?

Original poster
pigsinmud · 31/03/2014 21:13

It's a primary school,so lessons are allowed during school hours. Not the same for secondary schools in my area - must be lunch time or after school then.

She's been having lessons for 5 terms and this is the first time it has happened. We're all just a bit puzzled by it!

OP posts:
RaspberryLemonPavlova · 31/03/2014 22:07

Even if the lessons were free it would still be extremely discourteous of the class teacher to over-ride arrangements.

thehat · 31/03/2014 22:11

I am a Head of Music and when this happens the school reimburse the parent or pay the instrumental tutor to make up the lesson. It is absolutely the school's responsibility - they offer this service and they have to support it.

Every now and then I have to remind staff of the arrangements and the fact that parents are paying for this service.

threepiecesuite · 31/03/2014 22:17

I didn't let my Yr8s go to their singing lesson today as it was an assessment lesson. I emailed prior to let the teacher know.
But if parents are paying -totally different matter. Not on, that.

pancakesfortea · 31/03/2014 22:23

Is that a half hour lesson? 18 is a lot!

We pay 20 for half an hour or 30 an hour, for someone to come to us at home. Obviously the teacher has travelling time so I would have expected lessons in school to be quite a bit cheaper, because they can teach a few kids on the trot.

morethanpotatoprints · 31/03/2014 22:26

This used to happen to my dh all the time when he was teaching in state schools. The private were worse.
The parents would complain and be refunded by the LA, dh would be paid as he'd turned up. Sometimes all his pupils were on a trip Shock

Floggingmolly · 31/03/2014 22:29

18 quid for a lesson during schooltime? Shock. Ours are a fiver...
At that price, why not have them at home, in private?

Picturesinthefirelight · 31/03/2014 22:31

Dh (singing teacher) has had this happen to him a lot

It's a pain

As a paying parent I'd be unhappy if dd was unable to go to her music lessons. However she knows the dance teachers won't let kids out so she always tries to swop her lesson with a friend if it clashed with ballet.

Original poster
pigsinmud · 31/03/2014 22:36

Our local music service does not offer subsidised lessons. That is the cost for an individual lesson here. She used to have a group lesson which was obviously cheaper. Ds2's private string lesson is £29 for 45 minutes.

OP posts:
Dancergirl · 01/04/2014 22:31

I'd be furious.

And I hate the way they think making up the lesson makes it ok. That could mean 2 lessons in a week if times tight. It's the regularity of lessons that's important.

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